Jon Chase

HOSPICE

These photos were part of a two-year project photographing at Chilton House, a small, residential hospice for terminally ill patients in Cambridge, Mass.

   
Alice, a hospice nurse, comforts Rose, despite her being semi-conscious.
   
Dying of lung disease, Eileen smokes in her room.
     
  
The young child of a patient with AIDS is comforted by an aide.
   
Rose, the first resident with her own computer, shares a hearty laugh with an aide.
   
A nurse comforts the young daughter of a patient with AIDS, seen lying in bed behind.
     
  
An aide tries to soothe a resident with a live rabbit.
   
Irene is alone with her thoughts and teddy bear.
   
A resident presents a cake to a fellow resident on his birthday, one of many he has celebrated since being told he had only six months to live.
     
  
Joe, a teacher of jazz piano, is read to by his sister, visiting from California. Joe is celebrating the 25th birthday after being told he had just six months to live with brain cancer.
   
Louis, an emphysema patient, is given a shower.
   
Splashed by late afternoon sun, Martha reads quietly in her room. A single mother, she will leave behind a ten-year-old boy.
     
  
Mary receives a comforting caress from her sister. She died that night.
   
Maureen, a hospice nurse, massages the foot of a patient with AIDS.
   
Mick, a young man with AIDS, receives a massage from Debra, a nurse.
     
  
Midge displays her high school graduation photo.
   
Noreen, a cancer patient, will leave behind two young children
   
Reginale, a young mother with AIDS, is alone with her thoughts.
     
  
Reginale, a Haitian AIDS patient and mother, has her hair done by the sister of another Haitian patient down the hall.
   
Rita, who worked as a nurse for 50 years, greets the young child of an AIDS patient down the hall.
   
Rita on her last day.
     
  
Mementos from Rita's memorial service.